The Process of Becoming One

Are you and your mate one? Are you working on oneness in your relationship?

We realize that you both are two wonderful, powerful and fierce individuals in your own rights but God's goal for marriage is that the two put aside differences and personal interests in pursuit of becoming one.

Listen to God's account of the creation of man and particularly the creation of woman found in Genesis 2. The chapter begins with God marvelling at the completion of His work and "resting" from His labor. But later in the verse He marvels at His most wonderful creation - man - and realizes that every thing else in the garden had something to complete or complement it, except man. God then puts man to sleep and removes a rib from which He fashions woman.

Upon awakening, Adam realizes that something wonderful has happened to him. Genesis 2:23 tells us: The man said, This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman' for she was taken out of man.

Then Genesis 2:24 tells us that they were to leave or cut ties to their primary relationship at this time - parents - and work at becoming "one flesh." There may be other ties you will have to sever or make secondary as you work at becoming ONE with your mate.

We certainly worked on oneness when we dated. We can remember spending almost every available moment with each other or planning dinner dates and outings to the mall. Jim went shopping with me even though it was a painful as having dental work and I remember watching football with him and praying for a power outage.

Now that we are married we realize that we must be consistent with date night or getaway time or time alone without the kids if we are going to foster oneness.

It can be difficult to become one when the other spouse isn't reciprocating. We may think it isn't worth it when the other isn't even trying. God doesn't want us to keep score; He already is and has promises greater rewards in the life to come. God also promises that we will reap on earth if we don't get weary in doing what is good and right.

It's Marriage Mondays ...